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2010-11-30

Tragedy struck Athens and the national music community in the summer of 2009, with the burning of the historic Georgia Theatre. The Theater is known for the inception and featuring of notable artists including REM, Widespread Panic, The B-52's, Sound Tribe Sector Nine, and many more who performed there, as well as being the centerpiece of music in Athens and the region. Additionally the building has a thick and endearing history independent of its musical following. In response to this catastrophe, filmmakers Eric Krasle, Jacob Kinsman, and Andrew Haynes united for the production of the film "Athens Burning," a comprehensive High Production Value HD Video Documentary of approximately 80 minutes centered around the history of the historic venue; also thoroughly covering the history of Athens Music Scene from the 1970's until present, particularly with regard to links to the Georgia Theatre.

The film opens with the scene after the burning of the Theatre in Summer, 2009 and then moves chronologically from the 1970's through the rebuilding of the Georgia Theatre. The film features notable artists who performed at the venue over the years, the players in the music scene and at the Theater over the decades, the fire, the fundraising, such as benefit shows and community efforts, and the rebuilding. This non-traditional type documentary covers some bizarre subjects, like the search for a masonic treasure under the building, the nightmares of its horrified owner after the fire, and the quirky scene in Athens, Georgia, where many in the South spent their college years and look to for musical inspiration.

This project is the official documentary, endorsed and raising money for the rebuilding of the Georgia Theatre, and has been covered enthusiastically by CNN.com, and The Atlanta Journal Constitution, among other media.

We have funded the production of the entire film independently. We are down to our last leg of post-production. We are asking for your help now to fund our final step, which is the theatrical release. As a stipulation, the theater is requiring that we spend $3500 on marketing and promotion. With your help, we can get this film released in a legitimate first-run cinema. And with the money raised from this release, we plan on using it to print the DVDs.

2010-11-21

OnlineAthens.com has an article about the police officers who work downtown. I was encouraged to read the quote from Lt. Melodi Bennett which says that "We screen the officers because we don't want hotheads down here." It has been a common perception in our community that the Athens-Clarke County Police Department has a number of courteous professionals on its force but also a number of power-trippers, and it has been understood that the unprofessional officers are usually found working downtown at night. I am glad that the administration of our police department is aware of the problem and addressing it. Now if someone can pass along news of any steps taken by the University of Georgia to improve the culture of its own police department, I would be glad to hear it.

2010-11-10

UGA Alumnus and Macon resident Richard J. Hutto (AB, '74) will read from his latest novel A Peculiar Tribe of People: Murder and Madness in the Heart of Georgia Thurs., Nov. 11, at 4 p.m. in the UGA Main Library Reading Room.